Babz and I have just realised with a shock how close Christmas is now and although we had the empty boxes ready that’s as far as we got!

So, today with the help of Walter and Jozef as Babz is at work, I made a start and covered the boxes with pretty paper.

Then we looked in their toy box and found quite a lot of brand new unused toys, our cats seem to prefer their well chewed tatty old toys lol

So with their permission I put them aside. We then tackled their food cupboard and sorted out the sachets and trays they’ve gone off eating, we all know how choosy cats can be and how they can suddenly decide they don’t like a brand, or a flavour, after all.

Babz and I have planned and budgeted for this month’s coming pay day, the last before Christmas, to buy some big tins of cat food to fill the boxes, we’ve been researching where to get the most for our money.

Our Cats Protection branch and Kays Hill cattery will no doubt appreciate the food and now today I heard that Ark on the Edge are struggling with lots of cats too, so we feel that we must try to help them also.

What is it with so many people relinquishing their cats? How does their conscience let them do that? Do they not give a thought to the struggling Rescue Shelters having more and more mouths to feed?

I couldn’t sit and eat my Christmas dinner if I thought our cats were sitting in a Shelter wondering why they had lost their home and family. I’d move Heaven and Earth to keep our cats where they belong.

On a brighter note, Walter and Jozef said they’d sing a little ditty for the poster:

‘We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year’

But I used bit of poetic licence when I suddenly remembered as a small child longing for a cat of my own,I always sang the last line of that as:

No, I didn’t see it but it is perfect for me. Thanks so much for finding it Ruth. They are actually asking people to bring gifts so the shoebox present is ideal. I’ll be there and I’ll report back on what happened.

So far, I have 42 boxes done. But, if you remember, I started a couple of months ago.
They will go to Sheltering Hands Rescue. They have well over 100 cats in foster homes waiting to be adopted.
I’m hoping to get at least 20 more done soon. I want to do more, but I’ll have to see how things go.
I know they will be appreciated.

WELL DONE Dee! I’m impressed. Lots of needy cats with full tummies in your area this Christmas 🙂
Have you made small individual boxes? We decided to make a large one for each Sanctuary.
Hoping this comment posts, this technodinosaur is trying out google chrome because I can’t post from my usual browser for some reason, been trying to fathom it out for hours 🙁 so here’s hoping! If it does post THANK YOU Michael for your advice 🙂

Small individual boxes, each with 2 cans of food, about 2 cups of kibbles (I divided up a big bag and put in small plastic bags), treats, and a catnip filled toy. Then, I have a big sharing box that I’m filling with good second hand blankets, throws, and towels.
The cost is hardly anything since all but edibles are second hand.
I’ve been having so much fun – for pittance!

any of us who receive any of these donations will be most grateful. i’m sure we all have many, many cats and kittens who will enjoy whatever food, treats, bedding, toys or whatever anyone can give. its great to try and make their lives a little more happy and comfortable until they find their new homes. its not their fault that they have found themselves in sanctuaries and shelters, they deserve a happier Christmas (and many more afterwards) I would love to think that a large percentage of our combined cats and kittens will be in new homes soon, just a dream i’m sure. the unfortunate thing is that even if this does happen, there will always be more. so please, everyone, don’t forget this Christmas (and the rest of the year too) that there are always unwanted and abandoned animals in shelters the world over, your gift to them will mean lot. i’ll take this opportunity to say thank you on their behalf. from the biggest donation to the smallest, it really will be appreciated.

thank you Michael. sorry I havnt been around lately, we’ve been really busy with one thing or another! field shelters needed building, various bits of fencing to do (in a fashion anyway) and then of course the never ending flood of animals coming in with not many going out to new homes. it all takes a lot of time out of your day, as i’m sure anyone with a large amount of animals can vouch for!! winter is creeping in too (no real snow yet, thankfully). I just wanted to comment on the lovely poster ruth has made and the big effort people are making on behalf of all those animals (and people babz) who need a bit of extra help. we had a rough day yesterday Michael but we get through them knowing we have friends who will help all they can.

lol – once a crazy cat person always a crazy cat person 🙂 – I’ve not really got anywhere to give my unused cat toys that they don’t play with – so I take them up to the mama cats and the one kitten who is up there now – yesterday I left a whole basket of toys up there and the little one just loved them.

It’s exciting and feels Christmassy to see the boxes and paper out and Ruth labouring over them, looking forward to Saturday to see how much food we can get to fill them up then visiting Leanne and Kays Hill with their box. Dee it sounds like you’re getting a lot of pleasure from your labour of love, how kind you are. And Marc that was lovely to share your cats’ spare toys. Michael, surely the Battersea will welcome you with open arms. On a different but related subject we’re collecting food, toys and bedding at work for people who’re desperate this Christmas and doing well so far, people are really kind, and it’s a good thing some like cats, some like dogs and some like people because that way nobody gets left out.

I have to laugh to see Babz at her workplace floating in a sea of paperwork and surrounded by more and more stuff and wondering where to put it, food and bedding for people and animals and endless pairs of spectacles for the third world, even a cot mattress this week. People in our town are very generous, even though most are struggling financially they think of others even worse off and think of animals too of course.
That’s what life is all about, sharing what we have is good.

This week alone since I went back from my week off there’s been blankets, duvets and pillows, coffee, tea bags, tinned food, chocolates, socks, soap, pkts of noodles, a mountain of toys and about a hundred pairs of recycled specs handed in for people, also 3 duvets, pillows, cushions, the cot mattress, wool, small knitted blankets, books and CD’s and a few pkts of cat food handed in for animals. Oh and a couple of funerals as well. The kitchen at work is like the Tardis but was full to bursting yesterday, now our car is full as well. No wonder my poor old trolley collapsed under the strain, thank goodness there was a new one waiting for me at the church fare 😉

It’s not me Dee, yes I plant the seeds but it’s the good folks of Shildon who do the good work in bringing all this stuff to me, it’s only a small town but the people in it have huge hearts. A trolley is a shopping bag on wheels, mine, Edith is her name :-)has been a boon for transferring things from work to the car (she even managed to carry 3×18″ square paving slabs earlier this year which is what I think did for her really). So with the last lot of goods for Kays Hill she went off up there for her retirement as I’d been lucky enough to find another one at the Church Xmas fare. This is Edith in the photo and I’d like to wish her a long and happy retirement.

Edith the trolley. That is just so very British, but I love it. If I ever get caught up on bills and actually have some money I’d love to visit England. I would love to meet Jozef and Walter and Charlie! Oh, yeah, and some humans I know there as well. Last year my friend and I even tried our hands at making scones. Until my husband came home and improved upon our recipe.

you’re right Michael, trolleys are very british! my mam has one and she once asked me to help her with her xmas shopping, using the trolley I was promised, it would be easy. only one snag, my mother dosnt know when to stop and only when she had approx. 4 times more than the trolley could possibly hold did she finally think about how we would get home. the plan had been to walk from the town, about three miles, not too bad normally but when your trying to lug your mothers ridiculous amount of shopping home, believe me it feels like much further. I have never trusted her since!! lol

She’s used to that! That’s why she’s down on her uppers, in the summer she carried some patio stones, ever since she’s dragged her backside on her wheels a bit and wanted to fall over. Hope she can lead a useful retirement LOL

This senior lady has been glad of Edith many a time though I wouldn’t actually take her shopping (yet) BUT my dear sis Ruth AKA hates her and won’t pull her for love or money,so she mustn’t be senior enough in her outlook yet 🙂

Trolley – I like that. As you describe, we would call it a shopping bag on wheels.
I’ve learned so may terms here that I never knew before.
I used to only know a few from my London friend and am not even sure that I have the spelling correct, ie. randy (lol) and teli.

I got a Christmas box myself from the inner city school where I teach music. It was donated by an organization that helps the poor. When you teach at an inner city school lots of places that give things to the poor and homeless give them to you as well. Actually, it was a Thanksgiving box. I will probably get another at Christmas. It had a lot of goodies in there including apple juice, canned yams, a box cake mix and a tub of frosting, canned veggies and little tracts asking if I’ve met Jesus yet. I pulled everything out and gave the box to Monty to play in. He was not much interested. Perhaps I’ll fill it up again with cat things and take it over to The Cat Network. I felt kind of bad to take it since on the days I don’t teach I work in physical therapy for twice what teachers make per hour. But now I have that nice box and I haven’t visited The Cat Network in ages.

We’ve had a lovely day, we went to buy the Christmas box cat food for CP, Kays Hill and the Ark and got good value for our money because of Babz getting staff discount from their grocery part. When we got back Walt and Jo’s Christmas prezzies had arrived, a neighbour had taken them in for us, a new scratching couch each. Of course they couldn’t wait until Christmas for them, but it’s lovely seeing them enjoying them now.
Then we boxed up the cat food and stuff, nearly ready now!

So neat and pretty.
I wish I had a decent camera to film mine. Not nearly as spectacular; but, I know they will be appreciated.
Who crochets and knits? I used to but no time now.
It all just feels good, doesn’t it?

Two elderly ladies make the blankets and take in to Babz, there were three but sadly Stella died this year, she was Marion’s (Cats Protection) husband’s auntie, a lovely lady, she used to come to our charity Coffee Mornings too, we all miss her. Also a neighbour’s elderly mother knits 4 inch squares by the dozen lol and Babz has the task of stitching them together. I’m a terrible sewer is my excuse lol It makes the knitters feel useful and it’s much appreciated of course by the Sanctuaries especially now in the cold weather.
Yes it feels very good, I know it’s said you have to be able to receive as well as to give and if we ever receive we are grateful but there’s nothing as satisfying as the feeling of giving, of sharing what you have, is there 🙂 Dee I’m sure your boxes are lovely and will be much appreciated, I very much admire you for making so many.